Now in course of publication, in separate
volumes, on
the first of each
alternate month, uniformly and neatly printed in post
8vo.

THE COLLECTED WORKS

OF

SIR HUMPHRY DAVY, BART.

EDITED BY HIS BROTHER,

JOHN DAVY, M.D., F.R.S.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is presumed that this new and uniform edition of the
Writings of
Sir Humphry Davy will not exceed Ten Volumes, embracing the WHOLE OF
HIS WORKS, during the space of thirty years, (1799 to 1829) a period
memorable in the History of Chemistry, and in no small part owing to
his own Discoveries.

The Contents of the individual volumes cannot be
defined, but
the whole Series will embrace the following works, so arranged as to
preserve an equality of size and price.

Memoirs of the Life of Sir H. Davy.

Essays on Heat and Light.

Miscellaneous Papers in Nicholson's Journal, and Journals
of the
Royal Institution.

Early Papers in the Philosophical Transactions.

Researches on Nitrous Oxide.

Bakerian Lectures and other Papers in Philosophical
Transactions,
and Journal of the Royal Institution.

Introductory Lecture and a Syllabus of a Course of
Lectures on
Chemistry, delivered in 1802.

"There is not one paper in the whole collection which may
not be
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It reminds us forcibly of that most delightful of all biographies, "The Doctor," to which, indeed, many portions of the work are little, if
at all, inferior."— Britannia.

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"This is one of those exquisite volumes which
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deepest gratification."— Age.

The principal subjects treated of are Animal
Electricity; — Animal Heat; — The Temperature of
different
Animals; — Pneumothorax in connexion with the Absorption of Gases by
Serous and Mucous Membranes; — the Properties of the Blood in Health
and Disease; — the Properties of different Animal Textures; — the
Putrefactive Process; — the Preservation of Anatomical Preparations; —
the Effects of the Poison of certain Serpents; — the Structure of
the
Heart of Batrachian Animals, &c. &c.

In 2 vols. 8vo.,
illustrated by numerous Engravings. Price £1
8s.

~~~~~~~~~

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Part I.—FAITH. Price 3s.

The second Part will be entitled "HOPE,"
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which will be followed by Illustrations of the other Cardinal Virtues.

~~~~~~~~~

THE LANDGRAVE;

A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS,

WITH DRAMATIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF FEMALE
CHARACTER,

BY ELEANOR LOUISA MONTAGU.

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~~~~~~~~~

THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE

METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

Volume the First,

Illustrated by a Synoptical Chart and
numerous
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In royal 8vo. price £2 2s.

*** The first paper in the volume, entitled, "Directions
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Esq.
may be purchased separately, price 2s 6d.

points of intersection marked something like arrow-heads.
The
fulvous tint is here predominant. Downy feathers on thighs same fulvous
colour as rest of body. Bill black.

FORM.—Second primary scarcely
perceptibly longer than the first, and fourth rather longer than first.
Tarsi thickly clothed with short feathers to the root of the nails.

In.

Total
length . . . . . . . . . . .

13½

Wings
. . . . . . . . . . . .

11

Tail
. . . . . .
. . . . . . .

6

Tarsi
. . . . .
. . . . . . . .

2

Middle
toe to root of nail . . . . . . .

11/10

From
tip of beak to interior
edge of
nostril .

6/10

Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (October).

Mr. Gould informs me, that "this species has most of the
essential
characters of the common short-eared owl of Europe (Strix brachyota),
but differs from it, and all the other members of the group, in
its
smaller size and darker colouring."

The lesser proportional size of the fulvous marks on the
first
primaries, and on the tail, and the peculiar transverse brown marks on
the feathers of the belly, easily distinguish it from the common
short-eared owl. The specimen described is a male bird.

2. OTUS PALUSTRIS. Gould.

Strix brachyota. Lath.

Specimens of this bird were obtained at the Falkland
Islands, at
Santa Cruz in Patagonia, and at Maldonado on the northern bank of the
Plata. At the latter place it seemed to live in long grass, and took to
flight readily in the day. At the Falkland Islands it harboured in a
similar manner amongst low bushes. Mr. Gould says, "So closely do the
specimens brought home by Mr. Darwin, resemble European individuals,
that I can discover no specific difference, by which they may be
distinguished."

We have, therefore, the same species occurring in lat. 52°
S. on the
coast of South America, and in the northern division of the continent,
according to Richardson, even as far as the sixty-seventh degree of
latitude. Jardine says it is found in the Orkney islands (lat. 59°),
and in Siberia; and that he has received specimens of it from Canton.
M. D'Orbigny says it is found in the Sandwich and Marianne islands in
the Pacific Ocean, and at Bengal in India. This bird, therefore, may be
considered as a true cosmopolite.

I obtained a specimen of this bird from a party of
Fuegians in the
extreme southern islands of Tierra del Fuego. Owls are not uncommon in
this country, and as small birds are not plentiful, and the lesser
rodents extremely scarce, it at first appears difficult to imagine on
what they feed. The following fact, perhaps, explains the circumstance
: Mr. Bynoe, the surgeon to the "Beagle," killed an owl in the Chonos
Archipelago, where the nature of the country is very similar to that of
Tierra del Fuego, and, on opening its stomach, he found it filled with
the remains of large-sized crabs: I conclude, therefore, that these
birds here likewise subsist chiefly on marine productions.

SUB.-FAM.—STRIGINÆ.

1. STRIX FLAMMEA. Linn.

I obtained a specimen of a white owl from Bahia Blanca in
Northern
Patagonia, and Mr. Gould remarks concerning it, that he only retains
the name of S. flammea provisionally, until all the white
owls, from various countries, shall have been subjected to a careful
examination. Mr. Gould suspects, that when this is effected, the South
American white owl will prove to be specifically distinct from that of
Europe.

of head and throat smoky brown, mottled with numerous
small white
dots, on the tips of the feathers. Back and wing-coverts the same, with
the white spots larger and purer. Wings: primaries, same dark brown,
mottled with dull chesnut red; the tip of each, with the exception of
the three first, is marked with a triangular white spot, of the same
kind with those over the rest of the body, but larger. Tail,
transversely barred with brown and reddish fulvous, and the extreme
points mottled with white. Under surface. Breast, belly and
lining of wings, fulvous, mottled with brown; —the feathers being
transversely barred with narrow brown lines. Under side of tail, pale
gray, with well defined transverse bars of a darker gray. Short downy
feathers on tarsi, of a brighter fulvous than the rest of the under
surface.

FORM.—Third primary rather longer than second; first
equal to
third. Wing, exceeding the tail in length by nearly one inch and a
quarter. Short feathers on the tarsus, extending about one-third of its
length, below the knee. Tarsi, elongated. Toes and lower part of tarsi,
with few scattered brown hairs.

In.

Total
length . . . . . .

13½

Wing
. . . . . .

9¼

Tail
. . . . . .

4¼

Tarsi
. . . . .
.

27/10

Tip
of beak to rictus . . .

1½

Middle
toe, from root of claw to
base .

11/10

Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (October.)

I am indebted to Mr. G. R. Gray for the description of
this species,
which is deposited in the British Museum. Only one specimen was
obtained during our visit to the Galapagos Archipelago; and this
formed part of the collection made by the direction of Captain FitzRoy.

This owl is in every respect a true Strix; it is fully a
third less
than the common species of Europe, and differs from it in many
respects, especially in the darker colouring of its plumage. The
colouring of the Plate is not perfectly accurate in its minuter details.

Front and back of head gray, mottled with black and with
little
fulvous. The latter colour more abundant, and in larger markings in the
interscapular region, and on the wing-coverts. The black markings give
a somewhat streaked appearance to the back of head and interscapulars.
On the back of throat the fulvous tint is so much pronounced, that a
collar is formed which is continued under a white one round the breast.
Wings: primaries brownish-black; four external ones, with a large
white mark, forming a band, at about one-third of their length from
their extremities: these white marks are edged with fulvous, and the
part on the outer web of the first primary, is wholly so coloured. The
other primaries are marked with reddish brown, as are the secondaries
and tertiaries, the marks becoming more numerous and smaller, and the
colours more mottled, nearer the back. Tail: upper tail-coverts and
two central feathers of tail marked like those on the back; the black,
however, forming narrow interrupted transverse bars. The pair next to
these central ones have near their extremities a large white mark, but
only on the inner shaft. In the three succeeding pairs, the white spot
extends on both sides of the shaft, and in each pair increases somewhat
in size; so that in the external pair, the white spot is merely
bordered with a very narrow, faint margin, of brown and fulvous. At
about half their length, all the feathers, with the exception of the
central pair, have a smaller white mark, but only on the inner side of
the shaft. This mark is transverse, in the form of a band, and the
white blends into fulvous on the edges of the webs. Outer web of these
same external feathers, are transversely barred with black and fulvous.
Under surface.—Chin, breast, belly, and lining of wings, dirty
fulvous, with numerous

narrow, irregular, transverse bars of brown. Throat with
white
collar, beneath which the fulvous tint is predominant, forming a kind
of under collar, which is continued round the whole neck. Under
tail-coverts fulvous,—tail itself appears almost black, with a great
terminal white band, and a narrower one at about half its
length.

Wings, an inch and a quarter shorter than the tail. Second
primary,
scarcely perceptibly longer than the third; the first about an eighth
of an inch shorter than the second, and 8 ths longer than
the fourth.
Feathers on wing, with the outer webs, slightly excised.

In.

Total
length . . . . . .

9¾

Wing
folded . . . . . .

6½

Tail
. . . . . .
. .

5

Tarsi
. . . . .
. .

8/10

From
tip of beak to rictus . . .

1

Of
middle toe without the claw .
. .

7/10

Habitat, Valparaiso Chile, (August).

This species frequents the mountains of central Chile.
When
bivouacking one night on the Bell of Quillota, at an elevation of 6000
feet above the sea, I heard a gentle, plaintive cry, which I was told
was made by this bird. It is regarded with superstitious dread by many
of the lower orders.

Mr, Gould observes, that "this species has a strong
resemblance, at
the first glance, with the Caprimulgus Europæus, but may be
readily distinguished by its shorter wing, more lengthened tarsi, by a
conspicuous white band across the base of the tail, and by all these
feathers, except the two middle ones, having another white band near
the tip." Mr. Gould then adds, as "I am quite undecided to which of
the sub-genera this and the following species should belong, I leave
them for the present in the restricted genus, Caprimulgus,
although
I certainly perceive in it many points of affinity to the group which
inhabits the United States of North America."

ciatus. Back, dull gray. Interscapulars, with
the central
part of each feather, black, terminating in a point; the outer part of
the web being broadly fringed with a very pale fulvous, the inner with
gray. Wings: primaries brown, with fulvous marks, forming three
irregular transverse bars, which are scarcely visible when the wing is
closed. Tail and upper tail-coverts, dull coloured, very obscurely
marked with transverse bars of gray and fulvous, of different degrees
of darkness. Under surface.—Throat white, edged with fulvous
on
lower side. Breast, belly, and under tail-coverts, fulvous, with
numerous very narrow transverse bars of brown. The pale fulvous marks,
forming interrupted bars, are more plainly seen on this than on the
upper side of the tail.

Third primary, very little longer than second,
and second than first. First rather longer than fourth. Extremities of
wings reaching within an inch and a quarter of end of tail. End of tail
more rounded than in last species.

In.

Total
length . . . . . .

7½

Wings
. . . . . . .

5

Tail
. . . . . .
. .

4

Tarsi
. . . . .
. .

5/8

Middle
toe, from tip of claw to
joint of foot

9/12

From
tip of beak to rictus . . .

1

Habitat, La Plata, (September).

This species is not uncommon on the wooded banks of the
Parana, near
Santa Fé. If disturbed, it rises from the ground, in the same inactive
manner as the European species. I saw one alight on a rope diagonally,
but not so completely in a longitudinal position as does the C.
Europæus, nor transversely as other birds. Mr. Gould observes,
that "this goatsucker is full a third less than the Caprimulgus
Europæus, and is remarkable for the uniformity of its markings,
having no distinct white bars, or marks, either on the wings or tail."

FAMILY.—HIRUNDINIDÆ.

1. PROGNE PURPUREA. Boie.

Hirundo purpurea, Wils.

My specimens were obtained at Monte Video, (November) and
Bahia
Blanca, 39° S. (September) how much further southward this species
extends I do not know. Jardine says, that in North America it migrates
during summer as far as the Great Bear Lake, in Lat. 66° N.; it is
mentioned by M. Audubon, at New Orleans, 30° N., and by Mr. Swainson,
at Pernambuco, in 8½° S.; we may, there-

fore, conclude that it ranges throughout both Americas,
but it is
not found in the Old World. Wilson describes this bird as a great
favourite with the inhabitants of North America, both European and
Indian, who erect boxes and other contrivances near their houses for it
to build in. At Bahia Blanca, the females were beginning to lay in
September, (corresponding to our March): they had excavated deep holes
in a cliff of compact earth, close by the side of the larger burrows
inhabited by the ground parrot of Patagonia, (Psittacara
Patagonica.)
I noticed several times a small flock of these birds, pursuing
each
other, in a rapid and direct course, flying low, and screaming in the
manner so characteristic of the English Swift, (Hirundo Apus,
Linn.)

2. PROGNE MODESTA. Gould.

PLATE V.

Hirundo concolor, Gould, in
Proceedings of
the Zoological
Society.

P. nitidè cærulescenti-nigra.

Long. tot. 6 unc; alæ, 5¼; caudæ,
2¾; tarsi, ½.

The upper and under surface has not so strongly a marked
purple
shade, as in the P. purpurea. The primaries and feathers of
the tail, however, have a greenish gloss, perhaps slightly more
metallic.

Tail not so deeply forked as in P. purpurea,
which is
owing
to the two external feathers on each side not being so much prolonged
and bent outward, as in that species. Nostrils of less size than in the
latter, although the beaks differ but little. Claws and feet are much
less strong, than might have been anticipated, even proportionally to
the less dimensions of this species compared with the P. purpurea.

Inches.

Total
length . . . . . . . . . . .

6

Wings
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

5¼

Tail
. . . . . .
. . . . . . . .

2¾

Tarsi
. . . . .
. . . . . . . .

½

Middle
toe from tip of claw to
joint . . .

35/100

Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (October).

Male.

This swallow was observed only on this one island of the
group, and
it was there very far from common. It frequented a bold cliff of lava
overhanging the sea. Had not Mr. Gould characterized it as a distinct
species, I should have considered it only as a small variety, produced
by an uncongenial site, of the Progne purpurea. I can
perceive
no difference whatever from that bird,

excepting in its less size, slenderness of limbs, and less
deeply
forked tail; and the latter difference may perhaps be owing to youth.

1. HIRUNDO LEUCOPYGIA. Licht.

My specimens were obtained at Port Famine, in Tierra del
Fuego, (
February),
and at Valparaiso, in Chile, (August to September).
At
Port Famine they build in holes in a cliff of earth. Mr. Gould says, "
were it not for the bare legs of this little Martin, I should have some
difficulty in discriminating between it and the one so well known as a
summer visitor in our island."

Upper surface, with a greenish blue metallic gloss; which
can
faintly be perceived on the primaries and on the tail feathers. The
short feathers over each nostril white, thus forming two small white
marks; those over the ridge of bill pale brown, giving together the
appearance of a narrow white band over the upper mandible. Entire under
surface and lining of wings pure white. Tarsi rather darker than in H.
leucopygia.

Very slightly larger than H. leucopygia; upper
mandible
rather broader.

Inches.

Total
length . . . . . . . . . . .

4¾

Wings
. . . . . . . . . . . .

4¾

Tail
. . . . . .
. . . . . . .

2

Tarsi
. . . . .
. . . . . . .

½

Habitat, Monte Video, (November).

Mr. Gould says, "this species is closely allied both to
the common
martin, and to the last species; from the former bird, however, its
bare legs at once distinguish it, while it differs from the latter in
being rather larger in size, in having an obscure white mark on the
forehead, at the base of the bill, and in having the metallic lustre of
the upper surface deep steel green, instead of purple, which is the
prevailing colour of both Hirundo leucopygia and H.
urbica."

It is abundant on the northern bank of the Plata, and more
common
than the H. purpurea, which frequents the same localities.
It
probably replaces on the eastern side of the continent, the H.
leucopygia of Chile.

It is nearly allied to the two latter species, but is
readily
distinguished from them by the absence of the white rump. I procured
specimens in September, both from Valparaiso, and from Bahia Blanca
(North Patagonia). At the latter place it built in holes in the same
bank of earth with P. purpurea.

CYPSELUS UNICOLOR. Jard.

C. unicolor. Jard. et Selby,
Illust.
Ornith. pl. 83.

I obtained a specimen of this bird from St. Jago, Cape de
Verd
Islands. (September).

It more resembled a swallow than a swift in the manner of
its
flight. I only saw a few of them. Insects occur so scantily over the
bare and parched plains of basaltic lava, which compose the lower parts
of the island of St. Jago, that it is surprising how these birds are
able to find the means of subsistence.

FAMILY.—HALCYONIDÆ.

HALCYON ERYTHRORHYNCHA, Gould,
Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837.

Alcedo Senegalensis var. ß, Lath.

In January, during the first visit of the Beagle to St.
Jago, in the
Cape de Verd Islands, these birds were numerous. But in our homeward
voyage, in the beginning of September, I did not see a single
individual. As Mr. Gould informs me it is an African species; it is
probably only a winter visitant to this archipelago. It lives in
numbers in the arid valleys in the neighbourhood of Porto Praya, where
it may be generally seen perched on the branch of the castor oil plant.
I opened the stomachs of several, and found them filled with the wing
cases of Orthopterous insects, the constant inhabitants of all sterile
countries; and in the craw of one there was part of a lizard. It is
tame and solitary; its flight is not swift and direct like that of the
European kingfisher. In these respects, and especially

in its abundance in dry rocky valleys where there is not a
drop of
water, it differs widely from the habits of the allied genus Alcedo; although certainly it abounded more in those valleys where streamlets
occurred. This Halcyon was the only brilliantly coloured bird which I
saw on the island of St. Jago.

1. CERYLE AMERICANA, Boie.

Alcedo Americana, Gmel.

This Kingfisher is common on the banks of the Parana. It
frequents
the borders of lakes and rivers, and sitting on the branch of a tree,
or on a stone, it thence takes short flights, and dashes into the water
to secure its prey. Its manner of flying is neither direct nor rapid,
which character is so remarkable in the flight of the European species; but it is weak and undulatory, and resembles that of the soft-billed
birds. It often arrests itself suddenly in its course, and hovers over
the surface of the water, preparatory to darting on some small fish.
When seated on a twig it constantly elevates and depresses its tail; and as might have been expected from its figure, it does not sit in the
stiff upright position so peculiar to the European Kingfisher. Its note
is not unfrequently uttered: it is low, and like the clicking
together of two small stones. I was informed that it builds in trees.
The internal coating of the stomach is of a fine orange colour. Mr.
Gould has seen specimens of this bird from Mexico; it enjoys,
therefore, a very wide range.

2. CERYLE TORQUATA, Bonap.

Alcedo torquata. Gmel.

Ispida torquata. Swain.

This bird is common in the south part of Chile, in Chiloe,
the
Chonos Archipelago, and on the whole west coast, as far as the extreme
southern parts of Tierra del Fuego. In these countries, it almost
exclusively frequents the retired bays and channels of the sea with
which the land is intersected; and lives on marine productions. I
opened the stomach of one, and found it full of the remains of
crustaceæ, and a part of a small fish. It occurs likewise in La Plata,
and is very common in Brazil, where it haunts fresh water. It is said (
Dict.
Class. d'Hist. Nat. ) to occur in the West Indian islands; it has, therefore, a wider range (from the equatorial region to the
neighbourhood of Cape Horn) than the Ceryle Americana.

The habits of this bird are singular. It is very common in
the open
country, on the northern banks of the Plata, where it does not appear
to be a bird of passage. It obtains its food in many different methods.
I have frequently observed it, hunting a field, hovering over one spot
like a hawk, and then proceeding on to another. When seen from a short
distance, thus suspended in the air, it might very readily be mistaken
for one of the rapacious order; its stoop, however, is very inferior
in force and rapidity. At other times the Saurophagus haunts the
neighbourhood of water, and there, remaining stationary, like a
kingfisher, it catches any small fish which come near the margin. These
birds not unfrequently are kept, with their wings cut, either in cages
or in court-yards. They soon become tame, and are very amusing from
their cunning odd manners, which were described to me, as being similar
to those of the common magpie. Their flight is undulatory, for the
weight of the head and bill appears too great for the body. In the
evening the Saurophagus takes its stand on a bush, often by the
road-side, and continually repeats, without change, a shrill and rather
agreeable cry, which somewhat resembles articulate words. The Spaniards
say it is like the words, "Bien te veo" (I see you well), and
accordingly have given it this name.

MUSCIVORA TYRANNUS. G. R. Gray.

Muscicapa Tyrannus. Sw.

Tyrannus Savana. Vieill. Bonap. Am.
Orn.
pl. 1. f. 1.

This species belongs to Mr. Swainson's genus Milvulus
(more properly
Milvilus,) but which name Mr. G. R. Gray has altered to Muscivora as
the latter was proposed for Musc. forficata as far back as
1801, by Lacepède.

It is very common near Buenos Ayres; but I do not
recollect having
seen many in Banda Oriental. It sits on the bough of a tree, and very
frequently on

the ombu, which is planted in front of many of the farm
houses, and
thence takes short flights in pursuit of insects. From the remarkable
structure of its tail, the inhabitants of the country call it
scissor-tail; a name very well applied from the manner in which it
opens and shuts the forked feathers of its tail. Like all birds thus
constructed, (of which the frigate bird offers a most striking
example), it has the power of turning very shortly in its flight, at
which instant it opens and shuts its tail, sometimes, as it appears, in
a horizontal and sometimes in a vertical plane. When on the wing it
presents in its general appearance a caricature likeness of the common
house swallow (Hirundo rustica). The Muscivora,
although
unquestionably belonging to the family of Muscicapidæ manifests in its
habits an evident relationship with birds of the fissirostral structure.

Mr. Gould observes, that "the males of nearly all the
members of
this group (which may be considered either as a distinct genus or
sub-genus of Myiobius), have the crown of the head and greater part of
the under surface scarlet. Four species were obtained.—
Pyrocephalus
parvirostris, (Gould), and Muscicapa
coronata, (Auct. ), may be taken as types.

of the plumage, deep brown; the outer tail-feathers on
each side,
and the edges of the secondaries and wing-coverts, margined with grey.

Habitat, La Plata, (October.)

This species differs from Pyr. coronatus or Musicapa
coronata, of authors, chiefly in its size; in other respects it
is very similar. The admeasurements of the latter, for comparison (as
given me by Mr. G. R. Gray), are: total length, 5 inches and 8 lines; bill, between 9 and 10 lines; wings, 3 inches and 2 lines; tail, 2
inches and 7 lines; tarsi, 7 or 8 lines.

During the summer, this bird was common both near Buenos
Ayres and
Maldonado; but at the latter place, I did not see one in the months of
May, June, July, (winter) and therefore, no doubt it is a bird of
passage, migrating southward during the summer from Brazil. The birds
of this and the allied genera, correspond very closely in their habits
to certain of the Sylviadæ of Europe; some of the species frequenting
bushes, like the black-cap, (Sylvia atri-capilla); others more usually the ground, as the robin (Sylvia rubecula)
or hedge-sparrow (Accentor modularis). Another
group
(Synallaxis, &c.) represent those European Sylviæ,
which frequent reeds.

tail, sooty-brown; the external margin of the outer tail
feathers,
and the tips of all, light greyish brown; bill and tarsi, black.

Female.

All the upper surface, wings, and tail, brown; throat,
greyish
white; the remainder of under surface, pale buff, the feathers of the
chest and flanks, with an obscure fine stripe of light brown down the
centre.

Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (September.)

There is nothing remarkable in the habits of this bird. It
frequents
both the arid and rocky districts near the coast, and the damp woods in
the higher parts of several of the islands in the Galapagos Archipelago.

Forehead, stripe over the eye, and all the under surface
pale buff; back of the neck and upper surface chocolate brown; greater and lesser
wing coverts margined with buff.

Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (September).

From the appearance of this bird when alive, although
closely
resembling P. nanus, I entertained no doubt that it was a
distinct species. Mr. G. R. Gray informs me that there is a specimen of
a male in the British Museum, which differs from the male of the
precedent species, in having the upper colour of a decided brown, and
the external margins of the outer tail feathers and tips of the
secondaries rather reddish white; also in size as stated by Mr. Gould.

MYIOBIUS. G. R. Gray.

TYRANNULA. Swains.

Mr. Gould had adopted for the following species Mr.
Swainson's
generic appellation of Tyrannula, but Mr. G. R. Gray has
pointed out, that as Tyrannulus was proposed and published eleven years
before, namely in 1816, by Vieillot, it becomes necessary to change the
former name, and therefore he proposes Myiobius.

This bird is not uncommon in Tierra del Fuego, and along
the western
coast of the southern part of the continent, where the land is covered
with trees; it is occasionally found near Valparaiso in central
Chile; and likewise in Banda Oriental on the banks of the Plata, where
the country is open, from all of which places I procured specimens. At
Port Famine and in the islands of the Chonos Archipelago, it inhabits
the gloomiest recesses of the great forests. It generally remains
quietly seated high up amongst the tallest trees, whence it constantly
repeats a very plaintive, gentle whistle, in an uniform tone. The sound
can be heard at some distance, yet it is difficult to perceive from
which quarter it proceeds, and from how far off; and I remained in
consequence, for some time in doubt, from what bird it proceeded.

All the upper surface rufous; the basal portion of the
coronal
feathers yellow; tail uniform light brown, the external margin of the
outer feathers lighter; wings brown, the external margin of the
secondaries and the tips of the greater and lesser wing-coverts rufous; throat and all the under surface pale buffy white, each feather
having a brown mark down the centre; bill brown; feet black.

Habitat, Buenos Ayres, La Plata, (August).

This bird is about the size of a sparrow. It is nearly
allied to Tyrannula
ferruginea of Swainson and M. cinnamonea of D'Orbig.
and Lafr.

This bird inhabits the forests of Tierra del Fuego, and as
I
procured specimens of it in the beginning of winter (June), it probably
remains throughout the year in the extreme southern part of South
America. Other specimens were procured on the banks of the Plata, and
near Valparaiso in Chile; it has therefore a wide range.

This bird is common in central Chile, in Patagonia, and
although
found in Tierra del Fuego, it is not numerous there. Its specific name
is very well chosen, as I saw no bird in South America whose habits
approach so near to those of our tom-tits (Parus). It
frequents bushes in dry places, actively hopping about them, and
sometimes repeating a shrill cry; it often moves in small bodies of
three and four together. In August I found the nest of one in a valley
in the Cordillera of central Chile; it was placed in a bush and was
simply constructed.

A stripe of white from the nostrils over each eye; crown
of
the head brown, the base of all the feathers pure white; back of the
neck, back and upper tail coverts olive brown; wings blackish brown,
the external edges of the primaries finely margined with olive, and the
greater and lesser wing coverts largely tipped with olive grey; tail
uniform brown; throat grey; abdomen and under tail coverts pale
citron yellow; bill and feet brown.

This bird, like the last species, generally moves in very
small
flocks. Its habits, I presume, are also very similar; for I state in
my notes that it closely approaches to our tit-mice in general manners
and appearance.

3. SERPOPHAGA NIGRICANS. Gould.

Sylvia nigricans, Vieill.

Tachuris nigricans, D'Orbig. &
Lafr. Mag.
de Zool. 1837.
p. 55.

Le Petit Tachuris noirâtre, Azara,
No.
167.

This bird is common in the neighbourhood of Maldonado, on
the banks
of the Plata. It generally frequents the borders of lakes, ditches, and
other moist places; but is related in its general manners with the
last species. It often alights on aquatic plants, growing in the water.
When seated on a twig it occasionally expands its tail like a fan.

Crown of the head, sides of the face and throat blackish
brown,
each
feather white at the base; back of the neck black, and upper tail
coverts rufous brown; wings and tail dark brown, each feather margined
with sandy white; sides of the neck, under surface of the shoulder,
band across the chest and flanks reddish fawn colour; lower part of
the throat, and centre of the abdomen very pale buff; bill and feet
blackish brown.

Habitat, Monte Video, (November).

SUB-FAM.—FLUVICOLINÆ, SWAIN.

ALECTURUS GUIRAYETUPA. Vieill. Dict.

Muscicapa psalura, Temm., Pl.
Col. t. 286
and 296.

———— risoria, Vieill., Gal. des
Ois. Pl.
131.

Yetapa psalura, Less., Tr. d'Orn.
i. p.
387.

Le Guirayetupa, Azara, No.
226.

This bird is not uncommon on the open grassy country near
Maldonado
on the banks of the Plata. It sits generally on the top of a thistle; from which it makes short flights and catches its prey in the air. The
two long feathers in its tail appear quite useless to it. It sometimes
feeds on the ground. In the stomach of one which I opened there was a
spider (Lycosa), and some Coleoptera.

1. LICHENOPS PERSPICILLATUS. G. R.
Gray.

Sylvia perspicillata, Gmel.

Œnanthe perspicillata, Vieill.

Ada Commersoni, Less.

Perspicilla leucoptera, Swains.,
Nat.
Libr. x. Flyc. p.
105, Pl. 9.

Fluviola perspicillata, D'Orb. &
Lafr.,
Mag. de Zool.
1837, p. 59.

Le Clignot ou Lichenops, Comm.,
Sundev.

Le Bec d'argent, Azara, No.
228.

This bird belongs to the sub-genus, Perspicilla,
of Mr.
Swainson; but as Mr.

G. R. Gray has pointed out that Commerson had previously
considered
it the type of his genus, Lichenops, we have been induced to
prefer the latter as the oldest name. It is common in the neighbourhood
of the Plata, and across the Pampas, as far as Mendoza on the eastern
foot of the Andes; it has not, however, crossed those mountains and
entered Chile. It usually sits on the top of a thistle, and like our
common fly-catchers (Muscicapa grisola), takes short
flights in pursuit of insects; but does not, like that bird, return to
the same twig. It feeds, also, occasionally on the turf: in the
stomach
of some which I opened, I found Coleopterous insects, chiefly
Curculionidæ. Beak, eye-lid, and iris, beautiful primrose yellow.

All the upper surface and tail blackish brown, each
feather margined
with rufous; primaries and secondaries reddish chesnut, their tips and
their external webs for half their length from the tip, brown; tertiaries, greater and lesser wing-coverts dark-brown, each feather
margined with reddish buff; throat, and all the under surface, fawn
colour; the chest spotted with brown; base of the bill, and chiefly
of the lower mandible, as well as the iris, bright yellow; eye-lid,
blackish yellow; feet, dark brown.

Habitat, Banks of the Plata.

This bird is not very common. It frequents damp ground,
where rushes
grow, on the borders of lakes. It feeds on the ground and walks. It
is certainly allied in many respects with the foregoing species, but in
its power of walking, and in feeding on the ground, there is a marked
difference in habits. As it has lately been described (Swainson's Nat.
Libr. Ornith. x. p. 106.) as the female of the L. perspicillatus,
I
will here point out some of its chief distinguishing characters. Its
beak is slightly more depressed, but with the ridge rather more plainly
pronounced. In the L. perspicillatus, the upper mandible is
entirely yellow, excepting the apex; in the L. erythropterus,
it
is entirely pale brown, excepting the base. The eyelid in the former is
bright primrose yellow, in the latter blackish yellow. The tail of L.
erythropterus is squarer and contains only ten feathers instead
of
twelve: the wing is 4/10 of an inch shorter,
and
the secondaries relatively to the primaries are also shorter. The red
colour on the primaries represents, but does not correspond with, the
white on the black feathers of L. perspicillatus; and the
secondaries in the two birds

are quite differently marked. In L. erythropterus,
the
third, fourth, and fifth primaries are the longest, and are equal to
each other; the second is only a little shorter than the third. In L.
perspicillatus the third is rather shorter than the fourth and
fifth; and the second is proportionally shorter relatively to the
third, so that the outer part of the wing in this species is more
pointed than in L. erythropterus. The hinder claw in the
latter is only in an extremely small degree straighter than in the
former; and this, considering that the L. perspicillatus is
generally perched, and when on the ground, can only hop; and that the L.
erythropterus feeds there entirely, and walks, is very remarkable.

1. FLUVICOLA ICTEROPHRYS. D'Orb. &
Lafr. Mag.
de Zool.
1837. p. 59.

Muscicapa icterophrys, Vieill. Encyc.
Meth. p. 832.

Le Suiriri noirâtre et jaune, Azara,
No.
183.

Specimens were found by me both at Monte Video and at
Maldonado, on
the banks of the Plata. I found Coleoptera in their stomachs.

2. FLUVICOLA IRUPERO. G. R. Gray.

Tyrannus Irupero, Vieill, Ency.
Meth. p.
856.

Muscicapa mœsta, Licht. Cat. p.
54.

Muscicapa nivea, Spix, Av. pl.
29, f.
1.

Pepoaza nivea, D'Orb. & Lafr. Mag.
de
Zool. 1837. p. 62.

Irupero, Azara, No.
204.

This elegant bird, which is conspicuous amongst most land
species by
the whiteness of its plumage, is found, though not commonly, (in
November) in Banda Oriental; whilst near Santa Fé, three degrees of
latitude northward, it was common during the same time of year. It is
rather shy, generally perches on the branches of bushes and low trees.

Head, all the upper and under surface white; wings and
tail black; tail coverts black margined with white; primaries broad and crossed
near their extremity with sulphur white, and tipped with brown; bill
and legs black.

This bird is very common in the neighbourhood of
Maldonado, where it
frequents the open grassy plains. It sits on the top of a thistle, or
on a twig, and catches the greater part of its food on the wing. It is
generally quiet in its movements and silent. Mr. Gould remarks, that he
finds "nearly all the species of this peculiar group to differ
remarkably in the structure of their wings and tail, while in all other
respects they closely resemble each other both in form and habit; I
have, therefore, hesitated to separate them into so many genera. I have
assigned the present species to Mr. Swainson's subgenus Fluvicola,
considering
that differences in the form of one organ alone would not be sufficient
grounds for the institution of a new genus among such closely allied
species; the present bird evidently leads off to Tænioptera,
a
genus proposed many years since, by the Prince of Musignano for the Pepoazas
of Azara.

" This species is closely allied to, if not identical with
the Pepoaza
Dominicana of Azara, but as there is a degree of obscurity in
his
description, which causes some doubt on this point, I have considered
it better to pay a just tribute of respect to that zealous labourer in
the field of natural science, by assigning his name to this very
elegant bird."

1. XOLMIS CORONATA. G. R. Gray.

Tyrannus coronatus, Vieill. Ency.
Meth. p.
885.

Muscicapa vittiger, Licht. Cat.
p.
54.

My specimen was obtained on the wooded banks of the
Parana, near
Santa Fé, in Lat. 31° S.

Boie's name of Xolmis is adopted by Mr. G. R. Gray, as it
was
proposed some five years anteriorly to that of the Prince of
Musignano's.

2. XOLMIS NENGETA. G. R. Gray.

Lanius nengeta, Linné, 1. p. 135.
7.

Tyrannus nengeta, Swains. Journ.
Sci. xx.
p.
279.

Fluvicola nengeta, Swains. Nat.
Libr.
Fly-catchers, p.
102. pl. 8.

Tyrannus pepoaza, Vieill. Ency.
Meth. p.
855.

Muscicapa polyglotta, Licht. Spix. II.
pl.
24.

Tyrannus polyglottus, Cuv.

Le Pepoaza proprement dit, Azara,
No.
201.

My specimen was procured at Maldonado, north bank of La
Plata, where
it is not common. Its habits in many respects are like those of the Fluvicola
Azaræ; it appears to catch its prey on the wing. Iris bright red.

This bird feeds in small flocks, often mingled with the
icteri,
plovers, and other birds on the ground. Its manner of flight and
general appearance never failed to call to my recollection our common
fieldfares (Turdus pilaris, Linn.) and I may
observe
that its plumage (in accordance with these habits) is different from
that of the rest of the genus. I opened the stomachs of some specimens
killed at Maldonado, and found in them seeds and ants. At Bahia Blanca
I saw these birds catching on the wing large stercovorous Coleoptera; in this respect it follows the habits, although in most others it
differs from those of the rest of its tribe. Iris rich brown.

This bird is not uncommon near Port Famine in Tierra del
Fuego, and
along the whole western coast (at Chiloe specimens were obtained) even
as far north as the desert valley of Copiapó. In the thickly wooded
countries of Tierra del Fuego and Chiloe, where it is more common than
further northward, it generally takes its station on the branch of a
tree, on the outskirts of the forest. When thus perched, usually at
some height above the ground, it sharply looks out for insects passing
by, which it takes on the wing. Iris scarlet. It builds a coarse nest
in bushes. Egg perfectly white, pointed oval; length one inch, breadth
.76 of an inch.

Mr. Gould observes that the members of this genus are
remarkable for
their robust form and for their strength and magnitude of their bills; and their habits strictly accord with their structure, as they are
fierce and courageous.

My specimens were obtained near Valparaiso in Chile. I saw
it as far
north as the valley of Copiapó. I was assured by the inhabitants that
it is a very fierce bird, and that it will attack and kill the young of
other birds.

Head, and all the upper surface dark olive brown; wings
and tail
dark brown, each feather margined and tipped with pale brown, and the
outer web of the external tail-feather, white; throat, and sides of
the face, white, striated with

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ILLUSTRATIONS OF

THE ZOOLOGY OF SOUTH AFRICA :

Consisting chiefly of Figures and
Descriptions of the
Objects of Natural History collected during an Expedition
into the Interior of South Africa, in the years 1834, 1835, and 1836,
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TOGETHER WITH

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